


Tulips and Violets

by laireshi



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: First Date, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2015-05-17
Packaged: 2018-03-31 01:12:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3958864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laireshi/pseuds/laireshi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's his first date with Steve, and Tony's going to make sure it's perfect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tulips and Violets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marmarris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marmarris/gifts).



> This is inspired by [this art](http://sirdef.tumblr.com/post/119167593071) by [sirdef](http://sirdef.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Thanks for looking at it, [magicasen](http://archiveofourown.org/users/magicasen/pseuds/magicasen)! I'm blaming the title on her.
> 
> _Tulip signifies a declaration of love, fame and perfect love._
> 
> _Violets signify watchfulness, faithfulness, "I'll Always Be True"._

Tony looked at the array of clothes spread on his bed and shook his head. There was a suit there, but he'd discarded it almost as soon as he'd taken it out of his wardrobe. He looked good in it, but he didn't need to be this formal. A pair of jeans lay next to it, but he'd decided he didn't want to be quite so casual either. He started reaching into his wardrobe to get another shirt when it hit him how _ridiculous_ it was.

He was meeting with Steve. He did it _all the time_. They literally lived together. Steve saw him in his pyjamas and a bath robe every morning. There was no reason for Tony to keep fussing over what he was going to wear.

And yet . . .

It'd never been that important before. He'd never dressed _for_ Steve. They'd shared many meals, but none of these occasions were _dates_.

The thought still made him almost giddy with joy.

He'd fucked up so many times, but he must've done something right if he ended up here, preparing for a date with Steve. It made all the pain worth it in hindsight.

Now, if only he could _decide what to wear_. Or he'd show up in the armour, and okay, the armour was sexy, but he doubted that was what Steve wanted now.

Not that he knew what Steve would like. He stared at the clothes but they didn't held any answers.

He heard the doors opening and looked back. “Jan! I'm not decent.”

“Nothing I haven't seen,” she singsonged. She squinted. “Do you even have underwear that's not red?”

“There's nothing wrong with red.” He crossed his arms. “What are you doing here?”

“Helping you dress up, obviously.” She rolled her eyes. “I didn't think it'd be quite that bad. Really, Tony.”

“I don't need help,” he said petulantly, but she ignored him. He might've been grateful for that.

“Considering you're going on a date with him after a lifetime of tragic longing . . .”

“Jan!”

She laughed, but it was kind. “You can't deny that though,” she said. “Now let's look at what you have here . . .”

She poked her head into his wardrobe. “You want smart casual. Don't overdress, but don't look like you don't care either.”

“I do care,” he said automatically.

“I know.” She threw a simple white t-shirt at him. “Put that on.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Put that on,” she repeated. She must've had some hidden superpowers if she could tell what he was doing while still going through his clothes. “Trousers. Where do you keep trousers?”

“Left part,” he said, pulling on the t-shirt. The RT shone through it, but he'd long since stopped being self-conscious about that. And it did show off his muscles nicely, but wasn't it too simple?

He smoothed it out just in time to catch a pair of black trousers. 

“You sure you don't want something lacy for him to find under them?” she asked innocently.

“Jan!”

It was—it was the first date. He wasn't going to fuck it up. He'd take it slowly. So Steve wouldn't run from him.

“Jackets?”

“The other wardrobe, but . . .”

“No buts!” she said gleefully. 

“What if he doesn't care?” Tony asked quietly.

“Oh, he does. Carol's with him.” She turned from his clothes for a moment and tilted his head to look at him closely. “Tony. He asked you out, right. He's not going to change his mind. That lifetime of tragic longing? He's done that too.”

Tony nodded, but he still felt a bit uncertain. He knew himself. He knew his track record wasn't the best—

But it was Steve now. And Steve was special.

The jacket Jan threw at him hit him in the face.

“No brooding, okay,” she said. “It'll be awesome and then we'll all get sick of you two being love birds.”

He ducked his head. He liked that vision.

He put on the jacket. It was grey, a few shades lighter than his trousers. Jan walked around him and nodded. “You look great.”

He turned to the mirror. She did a good job. “Thanks,” he said.

“No problem. But for the record, it's unbelievable how many clothes I didn't design you have. I expect you to get better, Anthony.” She gave him a mock-stern look.

“Aye, aye.”

“Good. Come on. No, wait—” She pulled out her phone—he smiled at the Stark Resilient logo—and checked her messages. “Okay.”

“What was that?” he asked, feeling amused.

“Well, we can't risk you running into each other in the elevator, now can we,” she said. “He's on his way.”

Tony paled. “I'll be late!”

“Idiot,” she said. 

“Oh, I would've forgotten.” Tony took the bouquet he had ordered earlier off his desk. A mix of blue flowers, because Steve liked the colour, and Tony wanted to go with something more original than just red roses. There were some violets among other flowers Tony couldn't name.

“You're hopelessly romantic,” Jan declared. 

“Hey,” he protested. “It's just nice.”

“Sure,” she agreed. “And romantic.”

They walked to the elevator together. “Have fun.” Jan beamed at him.

“Thanks.” He smiled back.

The elevator ride wasn't long enough for him to start stressing again, and the restaurant was close, he could just walk there.

They should've let them meet in the elevator, he thought. His heart was pounding. It was really happening.

A part of him realised he acted like a love-sick teenager, but he didn't care.

 _It was Steve_.

He walked out into the warm air and turned right. Some of the passers-by gave him curious looks, but most just ignored him. He was glad.

There was a movement in the corner of his eye, and he glanced up to see Carol flying over the buildings.

He was pretty sure Clint was hiding in the alleyway he passed, but when he turned back to look, it seemed empty.

Spider-Man swung over the street in front of him.

Tony shook his head at their team. Of course they wouldn't leave them alone.

He turned left. His breathing grew quicker when he saw Steve standing in front of the restaurant, waiting for him.

Tony forced himself not to run the last hundred metres.

“Hello,” he said when he finally reached Steve.

“Hi there,” Steve said with a smile. He was absolutely gorgeous in a light-grey suit.

 _He'd look better without it_ , a treacherous part of Tony thought.

He extended his hand with flowers at the same moment Steve brandished his own bouquet, full of colourful tulips.

They both laughed. Tony threw his head back and pushed his hand into his face. _Well played_ , he thought.

Steve put his hand behind his neck and blushed adorably. “Should we just exchange them,” he said, and Tony did just that.

“Thanks,” he said, momentarily dizzy with the sweet smell.

“You too, Shellhead.” Steve kept smiling.

He leant down and kissed Tony in his cheek. “You look great,” he whispered before straightening.

“You don't look too bad yourself,” Tony grinned. 

“Shall we?” Steve gestured at the restaurant.

(Hours later, when Steve pulled off his briefs with his teeth, Tony remembered Jan's advice about lace and swore to listen to her next time.

And then he didn't think about anything but Steve.)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Тюльпаны и фиалки](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3982687) by [MouseGemini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MouseGemini/pseuds/MouseGemini)




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